ELMHURST, IL – Jesse White, the former longtime Illinois secretary of state, pulled his endorsement Wednesday of Elmhurst’s Pete DiCianni for DuPage County recorder.
In a statement, White cited two videos of DiCianni that the former official found “inappropriate and divisive.”
In June 2020, Patch was the first to report on the videos. DiCianni is seen yelling at counter-protesters at a pro-law enforcement rally outside the Elmhurst police station.
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In a statement to Patch on Thursday, DiCianni said he hoped White would reconsider “when he better understands the circumstances.”
“As a Mayor and County Commissioner, I have always had strong support for first responders of every race, gender and orientation,” DiCianni said. “I was not being negative to protestors, just defending the police who do an excellent job protecting our community. My record of fighting for people, passing laws to protect children, including poor children on Medicaid, is well documented. Actions speak louder than words, the laws and many families that I’ve advocated for will tell you firsthand, I’m not a racist nor do I discriminate.”
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White said DiCianni, a former Elmhurst mayor, asked for his support for the Democratic nomination in the March 19 primary.
“I agreed because I know him and consider him a friend,” White said.
White, a Democrat, said that while he remains a strong advocate for police, he also supports efforts to ensure all people are treated fairly.
“Once you experience discrimination of any kind, you understand how deeply it cuts,” White said. “Pete’s conduct in these videos disappoints me and is not what I expect from our political leaders.”
Until his race for recorder, DiCianni has always run as a Republican.
During the 2020 rally, DiCianni, a DuPage County Board member at the time, walked up to a counter-protester, got in her face and yelled at her to “leave our town then!”
After the rally, a constituent chastised DiCianni for his conduct in an email, demanding his resignation. In reply, he told her to “stick” her vote in “her a–.”
DiCianni later apologized for his behavior at the rally, saying it wasn’t his “finest moment.”
Under pressure, DiCianni then stepped down as chairman of the County Board’s Health and Human Services Committee.
Getting White’s endorsement was a big advantage for DiCianni’s campaign. White, whose last term ended in January 2023, is a popular figure in Illinois. In the 2002 race, he won all 102 counties in the state, a rare feat.
As of Thursday, DiCianni still featured White’s endorsement on the homepage of his website.
“I endorse Pete DiCianni for DuPage County Recorder. Pete has been a recorder of GOOD DEEDS for years, helping thousands of people,” White said at the time. “His longtime service to elected office has brought tremendous leadership and advocacy for Illinois families. Pete’s leadership and bipartisanship has opened the door for health care access and insurance coverage to family members living with developmental disabilities, such as Autism and Down Syndrome. Pete’s desire to make a difference in people’s lives along with his business and real estate experience will serve the Recorder’s office and all whom depend on it immeasurably.”
In 2022, DiCianni lost in the Republican primary for county board chairman to the party establishment’s choice, Greg Hart, with Hart grabbing 60 percent of the vote. Hart lost in the general election to Democrat Deborah Conroy.
In running for recorder as a Democrat, DiCianni announced he still held conservative values, but that he could no longer support the Republican Party’s ideology.
He said the DuPage GOP views words such as “bipartisan” as four-letter words.
“This view has cost the party dearly the past few election cycles,” DiCianni said. “Regardless of a political party label, I will remain bipartisan, always support law enforcement, champion comprehensive public education, focus on economic development and be an advocate for people from all backgrounds, especially those who need the most help.”
DiCianni is now running against the county recorder, Kathleen Carrier, a Democrat who took office in 2020.
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